Momtaz Begum
{{short description|Bangladeshi singer and politician}}
{{other people||Mumtaz Begum (disambiguation)}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=July 2024}}
{{Infobox officeholder
| name = Momtaz Begum
| native_name = মমতাজ বেগম
| native_name_lang = bn
| image = Momtaz Begum (cropped).jpg
| caption = Begum in 2017
| office = Member of Parliament
| constituency = Manikganj-2
| term_start = 29 January 2014
| term_end = 29 January 2024
| predecessor = S. M. Abdul Mannan
| successor = Dewan Zahid Ahmed Tulu
| constituency1 = Women's Reserved Seat
| term_start1 = 29 January 2009
| term_end1 = 29 January 2014
| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1961|05|05|df=y}}
| birth_place = Singair, Manikganj District, Bangladesh
| occupation = Singer, politician
| party = Bangladesh Awami League
| nationality = Bangladeshi
}}
Momtaz Begum ({{langx|bn|মমতাজ বেগম}}; born 5 May 1961){{Cite web|title=Constituency 169 |url=http://www.parliament.gov.bd/index.php/en/mps/members-of-parliament/current-mp-s/list-of-11th-parliament-members-english?layout=edit&id=3729|access-date=2021-04-29|website=Bangladesh Parliament|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190728093052/http://www.parliament.gov.bd/index.php/en/mps/members-of-parliament/current-mp-s/list-of-11th-parliament-members-english?layout=edit&id=3729 |archive-date=28 July 2019}} is a Bangladeshi folk singer and politician. She served as the member of parliament representing the Manikganj-2 constituency from 2014-2025 and Reserved Women's Seat-21 from 2009–2013.{{Cite web|title=List of 10th Parliament Members |url=http://www.parliament.gov.bd/index.php/en/mps/members-of-parliament/former-mp-s/list-of-10th-parliament-members-english|access-date=2021-04-29|website=Bangladesh Parliament|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190110030352/http://www.parliament.gov.bd/index.php/en/mps/members-of-parliament/former-mp-s/list-of-10th-parliament-members-english|archive-date=10 January 2019}}{{Cite web|title=List of 9th Parliament Members|url=http://www.parliament.gov.bd/index.php/en/mps/members-of-parliament/former-mp-s/list-of-9th-parliament-members-bangla|access-date=2021-04-29|website=Bangladesh Parliament|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140129142058/http://www.parliament.gov.bd/index.php/en/mps/members-of-parliament/former-mp-s/list-of-9th-parliament-members-bangla|archive-date=29 January 2014}}
Referred to as "The Music Queen",{{Cite news |url=http://www.theindependentbd.com/post/175087|title=Dhaka International Folk Fest 2018|work=The Independent|location=Dhaka|access-date=2018-12-17}}{{Cite news |url=https://www.dhakatribune.com/showtime/2016/11/09/dhaka-international-folk-fest-2016|title=Dhaka International Folk Fest 2016|date=2016-11-09|work=Dhaka Tribune|access-date=2018-12-17}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b03fgntj|title=Momtaz Begum, aka The Music Queen, from Bangladesh|website=BBC|language=en-GB|access-date=2018-12-17}} she has recorded around 700 albums.{{Cite news |date=2014-01-16|title=Why We Love Momtaz|url=https://www.thedailystar.net/why-we-love-momtaz-6871|access-date=2021-04-29|work=The Daily Star|language=en}} Some of her notable works include Return Ticket, Ashol Boithoki, Murshider Talim, and Ronger Bazar.{{Cite magazine|title=Momtaz The Music Queen|url=https://www.thedailystar.net/magazine/2004/12/05/cover02.htm|access-date=2021-04-29|date=2004-12-31|magazine=Star Weekend}}
Begum won the Bangladesh National Film Award for Best Female Playback Singer three times for the films Nekabborer Mohaproyan (2014), Swatta (2017) and Maya: The Lost Mother (2019).{{Cite news |date=2016-02-25|title=29 artistes get Nat'l Film Award 2014|url=https://www.thedailystar.net/arts-entertainment/29-artistes-get-natl-film-award-2014-682438|access-date=2021-04-29|work=The Daily Star|language=en}}{{Cite news |date=2019-11-08|title=National Film Awards for 2017 and 2018 announced|url=https://www.thedailystar.net/arts-entertainment/news/national-film-awards-2017-and-2018-announced-1824415|access-date=2021-04-29|work=The Daily Star|language=en}}{{cite web|url=https://moi.gov.bd/sites/default/files/files/moi.portal.gov.bd/files/831a384a_4cd0_4005_a528_6e888b5c063f/Award-2019.pdf|title=Award 2019|access-date=2021-04-28|publisher=Ministry of Information Bangladesh}} In 2021, she earned a controversial{{Cite web |script-title=bn:ভুয়া বিশ্ববিদ্যালয় থেকে ডক্টরেট ডিগ্রি পেয়েছেন মমতাজ! |url=https://www.deshrupantor.com/entertainment/2021/04/13/287540 |access-date=2023-08-13 |website=দেশ রূপান্তর |language=bn}}{{Cite news |date=2021-04-13 |script-title=bn:প্রশ্নবিদ্ধ মমতাজের ডক্টরেট ডিগ্রি! |url=https://www.bd-pratidin.com/entertainment/2021/04/13/638814 |access-date=2023-08-13 |website=Bangladesh Pratidin |language=bn}} honorary doctorate degree from Global Human Peace University in Tamil Nadu, India.{{Cite news |date=2021-04-13|title=Singer Momtaz receives honorary doctorate from India|url=https://www.dhakatribune.com/showtime/2021/04/13/singer-momtaz-receives-honorary-doctorate-from-india|access-date=2021-04-29|work=Dhaka Tribune}}
Early life
Begum was born on 5 May 1961 in the village of Joymontop in Singair, in Manikganj to Uzala Begum and Modhu Boyati, a baul singer.{{Cite news |script-title=bn:জন্মদিনে মমতাজের চাওয়া|url=https://www.prothomalo.com/entertainment/song/জন্মদিনে-মমতাজের-চাওয়া|access-date=2021-05-09|work=Prothom Alo|language=bn|date=2021-05-08}} She spent most of her childhood learning music from her father.{{Cite news |date=2020-01-04|title=Cultural fairs held in Manikganj|url=https://www.thedailystar.net/arts-entertainment/news/cultural-fairs-held-manikganj-1849063|access-date=2021-04-29|work=The Daily Star|language=en}} She also took lessons from Razzak Dewan and Abdur Rashid Sorkar.
Begum's initiation into music occurred early. She was a child when she accompanied her father, first as an audience member, and soon after a co-performer. The kind of music she performed like, Marfati, Boithoki, and Murshidi can roughly be categorized in the mystic songs genre.{{Cite magazine |url=https://www.thedailystar.net/magazine/2004/12/05/cover02.htm|title=The Music Queen|magazine=Star Weekend Magazine|publisher=The Daily Star|date=2004-12-05|access-date=2019-09-25|author=Shamim Ahsan}}
Career
Initially Begum's released albums entirely financed by herself. After these became popular she was hired by producers to make further recordings, though her payment was usually a very low flat fee and the contract stipulated that this would have to be paid back if these did not sell well. However, her musical works are tended to sell out almost immediately and within a very short period, she found herself quite busy; often recording two songs per day. In an interview with the Bangladeshi daily Daily Star she stated: "I used to be handed down the lyrics and the music tracks minutes before and there used to be hardly any time for rehearsal and I had to record it at all in one go".
Begum was elected as a member of parliament from Manikganj-2 in 2008, 2014 and 2018.{{Cite news|url=https://www.dhakatribune.com/bangladesh/nation/2017/12/08/girl-body-momotaz-brother-manikganj/|title=Fifth grader girl's body recovered from house of MP Momotaz's brother|date=2017-12-07|work=Dhaka Tribune|access-date=2018-08-04|language=en-US}} But she lost national assembly election in 2024 from the same constituency.{{Cite news |date=2024-01-08 |title=স্বতন্ত্র প্রার্থীর কাছে হেরে গেলেন মমতাজ বেগম |url=https://www.prothomalo.com/bangladesh/district/gn1yi8apcp |access-date=2024-01-08 |work=Prothom Alo |language=bn}}
Philanthropy
Begum established a 50-bed "Momtaz Eye Hospital" with support from Orbis International, in her native village Joymontop. The hospital was established in memory of her father, Modhu Boyati, who lost his eyesight as he could not afford a cataract operation due to poverty.{{cite web |url=http://www.orbis.org.hk/data/2/rec_docs/860_ORBIS_observer_0409_final.pdf|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120227020019/http://www.orbis.org.hk/data/2/rec_docs/860_ORBIS_observer_0409_final.pdf|title=A Singer's Love Of Her Country Is Music To The Eyes|date=2010-11-28|archive-date=2012-02-27|access-date=2021-04-21|publisher=Orbis International}}
Personal life
Controversies
= Involvement in killings of protesters during July Revolution =
On 12 May 2025, she was arrested by the Detective Branch of Bangladesh Police from Dhanmondi.{{cite web|url=https://bdnews24.com/bangladesh/95ac150f7539|title=Singer, former Awami League MP Momtaz arrested in Dhanmondi|date=12 May 2025|website=bdnews24.com}} She has been named in several cases filed over the deaths during the July Revolution.{{cite news |title=Singer Momtaz Begum arrested |url=https://www.tbsnews.net/bangladesh/crime/singer-momtaz-begum-arrested-1140721 |access-date=12 May 2025 |work=The Business Standard |date=13 May 2025 |language=en}}{{cite news |title=Ex-AL MP, singer Momtaz Begum arrested |url=https://www.newagebd.net/post/country/264756/ex-al-mp-singer-momtaz-begum-arrested |access-date=12 May 2025 |work=New Age |date=12 May 2025 |language=en}}
= Breach of contract and cheating allegation =
In India, four arrest warrants have been issued against Begum in different times regarding contract breach and cheating allegations. In December 2008, she received Rs. 1.4 million to appear at an event in Murshidabad but did not attend. This led to a case filed against her in the Chief Judicial Magistrate Court of Murshidabad, later reaching the Calcutta High Court. The latest arrest warrant against her was issued on 9 August 2023.{{Cite news |date=2023-08-13 |script-title=bn:সংগীতশিল্পী মমতাজের বিরুদ্ধে ভারতের আদালতে গ্রেপ্তারি পরোয়ানা |url=https://www.prothomalo.com/entertainment/song/70xc4j7k83 |access-date=2023-08-13 |work=Prothom Alo |language=bn}}{{Cite news |script-title=bn:মমতাজের বিরুদ্ধে পশ্চিমবঙ্গের আদালতে আবার ওয়ারেন্ট |url=https://www.ittefaq.com.bd/655477/মমতাজের-বিরুদ্ধে-পশ্চিমবঙ্গের-আদালতে-আবার |access-date=2023-08-13 |work=The Daily Ittefaq |language=bn}}{{Cite news |script-title=bn:মমতাজের বিরুদ্ধে পশ্চিমবঙ্গের আদালতে গ্রেপ্তারি পরোয়ানা জারি |url=https://samakal.com/india/article/2308189401/মমতাজের-বিরুদ্ধে-পশ্চিমবঙ্গের-আদালতে-গ্রেপ্তারি-পরোয়ানা-জারি |access-date=2023-08-13 |work=Samakal |language=bn}}
= Fake university degree allegation =
In 2021, Begum received an honorary doctorate degree from Global Human Peace University which is said to be located in Tamil Nadu, India. But as per reports, the university did not have accreditation from India's University Grants Commission. According to The UGC Act-1956, unaccredited universities can not confer or grant any degree.{{Cite web |title=UGC Act-1956 |url=http://mhrd.gov.in/sites/upload_files/mhrd/files/upload_document/ugc_act.pdf |access-date=14 August 2023 |website=mhrd.gov.in |publisher=Secretary, University Grants Commission}} Indian law enforcement authorities have raided similar unaccredited universities several times while distributing fake honorary doctorate degrees for money.{{Cite news |last=Kandya, DHNS |first=Ranjith |title=Cops stop fake doctorate ceremony |url=https://www.deccanherald.com/india/karnataka/cops-stop-fake-doctorate-ceremony-893506.html |access-date=2023-08-14 |work=Deccan Herald |language=en}} Momtaz Begum's degree achievement sparked criticism in the country. However, she denied the allegation and said the university did not seem 'fake' to her.{{Cite news |script-title=bn:‘ভুয়া ডক্টরেট ডিগ্রি’ নিয়ে যা বললেন মমতাজ |url=https://www.jugantor.com/entertainment/411854/ভুয়া-ডক্টরেট-ডিগ্রি-নিয়ে-যা-বললেন-মমতাজ |access-date=2023-08-14 |work=Jugantor |language=bn}}
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- {{commons category-inline}}
{{Bangladesh National Film Award for Best Female Playback Singer}}
{{authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Begum, Momtaz}}
Category:Bangladeshi women musicians
Category:Bangladeshi folk singers
Category:20th-century Bangladeshi women singers
Category:20th-century Bangladeshi singers
Category:Best Female Playback Singer National Film Award (Bangladesh) winners
Category:10th Jatiya Sangsad members
Category:21st-century Bangladeshi women singers
Category:21st-century Bangladeshi singers
Category:11th Jatiya Sangsad members